Clean Run - June 2013 - 41

© LALI MIRIMON

Base: San Jose, California
Years competing in agility: 25+
Competition venues: AKC, USDAA
Number of national competitions: 26
Number of international competitions:
12 as a handler, 7 as a coach
Dogs: Border Collies Pie, age 1; Scoop,
age 3; Ace, age 9; Panic, age 12
Favorite treat: Cooked meats. “Lately
I am into pork roast because the pieces
are white, they stay together, and you
can see them on the floor. I use so much
food in training, I don’t want to give
them any junk food.”
Mantra: Work every single obstacle and
watch your dog.

© COURTESY OF NANCY GYES

Trainer: Nancy Gyes

Training
with the Stars
Nancy Gyes
By Sally Silverman

Play is the thing, according to Nancy Gyes. She’s not referring to
William Shakespeare, but rather to the importance of play in training
a successful agility dog. And Nancy knows a thing or two about success

Technology that has improved her
performance: Video. She puts a camera
or iPad on a tripod to tape training
sessions. “Often I am using it to watch the
dog’s performance, check my timing, and
see how the dog is reacting to my cues.”

in that arena. She has been a member of the AKC World Team seven times

Always in her training bag: Treats,
long toys. “I like to have a toy that reaches
the ground so that the dog’s head is low
when he is getting reinforced. And, it’s
easier on my arm.”

a sampling of her accomplishments.

Best piece of advice she ever got:
“At Chicken Camp I learned to be a better
animal trainer and really learned to use
operant conditioning to work for me.”
Best training advice: Reward, reward,
reward. “I never met a handler who
rewarded their dog too much!”
Memorable moment: Winning the
Standard class at FCI Agility World
Championships with Riot.
Secret to share: Run straight, turn,
repeat as necessary.
June 13

| Clean Run

and coach of the team since 2006. She also competed on the European
Open USA team five times and is the first handler ever to win the USDAA
National/World Championships four years in a row. And that’s just

Why Play?

Foundation Work

of fun little games in her field. “With my
one-year-old, we go to the agility yard
and, before we do any real jumping or
handling, we play tug, run circle work,
and do some retrieving. We may also
do some tugging on a balance board or
play the “bang game” with the teeter, rewarding with tugging.” It is fundamental
foundation work for agility, but it is all
handled as a game by Nancy and perceived as a game by the dog.

Training her young dogs always begins
with play. It is often just a short session

A strong reinforcement system is crucial
to successful play. And Nancy makes

“Play is the antidote to stress,” says
Nancy, and that’s why it is so valuable
for teams competing in agility. “There
is so much stress in our sport,” she explains. “Dogs are stressed. Handlers are
stressed. I believe it is one of the biggest
reasons that dogs don’t run to their full
potential.” Play reduces stress in the human and in the dog.

41



Clean Run - June 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - June 2013

Clean Run - June 2013
Contents
Editorializing: Inside the Ring, Outside the Ring
Tip of the Month
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Backyard Dogs
Bucking the System: A Look at “Ad-Libbing” Handling Systems
Awesome Paws Drills
Agility—Hobby or Sport?
Class Challenges for Rising Stars: Wrap It Up
Class Challenges for Rising Stars: Wrap It Up
The Judge’s Debriefing
Ultimate Instructors: What Makes a Really Good Instructor?
Power Paws Skills: Training the Serpentine
The 10-Minute Trainer
Training with the Stars: Nancy Gyes
Knowledge Equals Speed! Does Your Dog Turn Wide?
Sacrotuberous Ligament Tension
Out Spot Out! Teaching Independent Obstacle Performance, Part 3
Exercise and Your Puppy
Foundation Jumping, Part 2
Clean Run - June 2013 - Clean Run - June 2013
Clean Run - June 2013 - 2
Clean Run - June 2013 - Contents
Clean Run - June 2013 - 4
Clean Run - June 2013 - Editorializing: Inside the Ring, Outside the Ring
Clean Run - June 2013 - Tip of the Month
Clean Run - June 2013 - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Agility…
Clean Run - June 2013 - Backyard Dogs
Clean Run - June 2013 - 9
Clean Run - June 2013 - Bucking the System: A Look at “Ad-Libbing” Handling Systems
Clean Run - June 2013 - 11
Clean Run - June 2013 - 12
Clean Run - June 2013 - Awesome Paws Drills
Clean Run - June 2013 - 14
Clean Run - June 2013 - 15
Clean Run - June 2013 - 16
Clean Run - June 2013 - Agility—Hobby or Sport?
Clean Run - June 2013 - 18
Clean Run - June 2013 - Class Challenges for Rising Stars: Wrap It Up
Clean Run - June 2013 - 20
Clean Run - June 2013 - 21
Clean Run - June 2013 - 22
Clean Run - June 2013 - 23
Clean Run - June 2013 - The Judge’s Debriefing
Clean Run - June 2013 - 25
Clean Run - June 2013 - Ultimate Instructors: What Makes a Really Good Instructor?
Clean Run - June 2013 - 27
Clean Run - June 2013 - 28
Clean Run - June 2013 - Power Paws Skills: Training the Serpentine
Clean Run - June 2013 - 30
Clean Run - June 2013 - 31
Clean Run - June 2013 - 32
Clean Run - June 2013 - 33
Clean Run - June 2013 - 34
Clean Run - June 2013 - 35
Clean Run - June 2013 - The 10-Minute Trainer
Clean Run - June 2013 - 37
Clean Run - June 2013 - 38
Clean Run - June 2013 - 39
Clean Run - June 2013 - 40
Clean Run - June 2013 - Training with the Stars: Nancy Gyes
Clean Run - June 2013 - 42
Clean Run - June 2013 - 43
Clean Run - June 2013 - 44
Clean Run - June 2013 - Exercise and Your Puppy
Clean Run - June 2013 - 46
Clean Run - June 2013 - 47
Clean Run - June 2013 - Foundation Jumping, Part 2
Clean Run - June 2013 - 49
Clean Run - June 2013 - 50
Clean Run - June 2013 - 51
Clean Run - June 2013 - 52
Clean Run - June 2013 - Knowledge Equals Speed! Does Your Dog Turn Wide?
Clean Run - June 2013 - 54
Clean Run - June 2013 - 55
Clean Run - June 2013 - 56
Clean Run - June 2013 - 57
Clean Run - June 2013 - Sacrotuberous Ligament Tension
Clean Run - June 2013 - 59
Clean Run - June 2013 - 60
Clean Run - June 2013 - 61
Clean Run - June 2013 - 62
Clean Run - June 2013 - Out Spot Out! Teaching Independent Obstacle Performance, Part 3
Clean Run - June 2013 - 64
Clean Run - June 2013 - 65
Clean Run - June 2013 - 66
Clean Run - June 2013 - 67
Clean Run - June 2013 - 68
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